Bobbin supporter for looms



Feb. 20, 1934. A. w. HERRING BOBBIN SUPPORTER FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 27, 1933 INVENTOR.

Auras M Heme/Ne.

ATTORNEY C L INTON J. Cosme/v.

Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES BOBBIN SUPPORTER FOR LOOMS Altus Whitner Herring, Talladega, Ala., assignot to Draper Corporation, I-Iopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application January 27, 1933. Serial No. 653,893

2 Claims. (01. 139-251) The present invention relates to bobbin supporting devices for the hopper of a bobbin changing loom.

Looms of the bobbin changing type are commonly provided with a rotary hopper adapted to contain a reserve supply of bobbins (by which expression 1 include cop-skewers and similar filling carriers adapted to be automatically inserted into and ejected from a shuttle). The hopper is rotated step-by-step to successively present the bobbins in position to be transferred to the shuttle, the bobbin next to be transferred being held in position by a so-called bobbin support. A common type of bobbin support is that which is pivotally suspended from the hopper stand to swing rearwardly against the action of a spring as the bobbin is transferred, and it is to this type of bobbin support that my invention pertains.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a swinging bobbin support of the type mentioned, having a compression spring guided on a rod and so arranged as to afford a positive stop to prevent the bobbin support from swinging too far rearwardly during normal operation thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a swinging bobbin support having a spring for urging it forwardly, and frangible retaining means which will release the spring and permit the bobbin support to have an abnormal rearward movement, as when a bobbin is trapped, thereby preventing damage to the remaining parts of the loom.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the rotary hopper, and associated parts, of a loom embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, but showing the parts in a different operative relation.

In the loom illustrated, the usual parts thereof are supported by a suitable loom frame, as l. The lay 2, carrying a shuttle box 3 for the reception of a shuttle 4, may be reoiprocated toward and from the front of the loom (toward the right in Fig. l) in the usual manner. The shuttle is adapted to have its bobbin 5 automatically ejected and a fresh bobbin inserted in its place. I A hopper stand 6 is mounted on the front of the loom frame and carries a hopper 7 which may be rotated step-by-step (counterclockwise) to successively present the reserve bobbins 5 into a position directly over the shuttle box, from whence they may be transferred to the shuttle by a transferrer 8.

Since the parts thus far described, and other parts of the loom not illustrated, are well known in the art and, per so, are not of my invention,

they do not require further description.

The position which the bobbins 5' assume before transfer is determined by a combined stop and guide 9, of conventional form, and in order to hold the bobbin next to be transferred in place against the guide 9, and to guide the bobbin during the first part of the transferring operation, I employ a bobbin support of the swinging type above mentioned.

The particular bobbin support shown is com prised of an arm 10 pivotally suspended from a bolt 11 in the hopper stand, and carrying at its lower end a bobbin supporting head 12 having a cam surface 13 for engagement with the bobbin which is about to be transferred. During the transferring operation the bobbin supporter swings backward to permit downward passage of the bobbin. The construction and operation of the arm and head may be conveniently similar to those of the bobbin support disclosed in Patent No. 1,644,644 granted October 4, 1927.

For the purpose of yieldingly urging the bobbin supporter toward its normal forward position, I have provided a coiled spring 14, acting in compression, mounted on a rod 15. The rod has one end, 16, pivotally mounted on a stud or bolt 1'? in the hopper stand. The other end of the rod passes through a bearing, or hole, 10 in the arm 10 and the spring 14 is mounted on the latter end of the rod. The spring bears against the arm 10 to urge the latter forwardly and may be held in place on the rod by a frangible retaining means, constituted in the present instance by a washer 18 and cottor pin 19.

The length of the end rod 15 projecting rearwardly upon transfer of a bobbin, the coils of the spring will be compressed into contact with each other. The coils of the spring are shown in Fig. 2 as being almost in contact, and it is evident that only a slight overthrow of the bobbin support will be permitted by the proportions of the parts shown. By this means, I provide a positive stop for limiting the rearward movement of the bobbin support, and prevent the comparatively large uncontrolled swing so commonly occurring in the bobbin supports as previously constructed.

It happens, at times that bobbins will become jammed in the hopper or will become misplaced so as to project from the hopper down into the shuttle or shuttle box. At such times, operation of the transferrer, or backward movement of the lay, will require that the bobbin support be permitted an abnormally large backward swing in order to prevent one or more parts of the loom from being broken. It is for this reason that I make the retaining means for the spring frangible. That is, the cotter pin 19 is small, and abnormal movement of the bobbin support, under the circumstances noted, will shear the cotter pin off, this releasing the spring and bobbin support from the influence of the holding means and preventing the possibility of damage to the loom parts involved the cost of replacing the cotter pin being, of course, negligible.

The particular means by which my invention may be carried into effect is subject to variation, within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bobbin changing loom, a hopper stand, a rotary hopper carried by said hopper stand and adapted to contain a reserve supply of bobbins, a swinging bobbin support comprised of an arm pivotally suspended from said hopper and carrying a bobbin supporting head at its lower end, a rod having one end pivoted to said hopper stand and its other end passing through a bearing in said arm, a releasable retaining means on said other end of said rod, and a coiled spring positioned between said retaining means and said arm for urging the latter forwardly, said spring yielding to permit normal swinging movementof said bobbin support, and said retaining means releasing said spring upon abnormal movement of the bobbin support.

2. In a bobbin changing loom, a hopper stand, a rotary hopper carried by said hopper stand and adapted to contain a reserve supply of bobbins, a swinging bobbin support comprised of an arm pivotally suspended from said hopper and carrying a bobbin supporting head at its lower end, a rod having one end pivoted to said hopper stand and its other end passing through a bearing in said arm, a releasable retaining means on said other end of said rod, and a coiled spring positioned between said retaining means and said arm for urging the latter forwardly, the coils of said spring being normally spaced apart just sufficient that they contact each other and thus form a positive stop for the bobbin support when the latter swings rearwardly to permit transfer of a bobbin, and said retaining means releasing said spring upon further rearward movement of the bobbin support.

ALTUS WHITNER HERRING. 

